Oil-cup.



Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

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VERNER J. WAHLSTROM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

OIL-CUP.

To all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, VERNER J. VAHL- s'rnoar, a citizen of the United States, residing at the borough of Brooklyn, in the city vof New York, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oil-Cups, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to oil cups and more particularly to a type of gravity feed oil cups adapted for use on machine bearings.

It is the object of this invention to provide an oil cup or bearing cap which may be readily attached to a bearing, the interior of which cup or cap and the duct leading therefrom to the bearing, will be free of obstructions so as to increase the capacity thereof, and which cup or cap will embodytherein a closure cap adapted to be seated under spring pressure while being capable of being opened by a slight upward pressure from the oil can nozzle to facilitate the filling thereof and avoid the necessity for the oiler inserting his hand in the machinery for this purpose, said spring pressure acting thereon in a manner to hold said cap in either the open or the closed position and offering a yielding resistance to the movement of the cap Without developing sutlicient friction to interfere with the free actuation thereof, or result in such wear as to affect, materially, the durability of the cap.

My invention also contemplates the application of the cap controlling mechanism in a manner to cause the spring to exert greater pressure upon the cap in the closed than in the open or intermediate positions in order to form a tight joint for the purpose of eX- cluding dust and' dirt from the interior of the cup.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an oil cup or bearing cap so constructed and arranged as to permit the vessel or receptacle portion and its appurtenances to be formed of an integral casting and the entire article to be quickly assembled and economically produced.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction and combination of parts as are hereinafter set forth and described and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings z-Figure l is a front elevation of an oil cup embodying Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 26, 1909.

Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

Serial No. 485,906.

my invention, with the cover raised to a vertical position; Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof, and Fig. 3 is a cross section thereof with the cover tilted backward and locked in this position.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the accompanying drawings, the showing of the invention is upon an enlarged scale, the greatest field of utility thereof being restricted to smalloil cups for use on various machines.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, a indicates the vessel or receptacle for receiving and retaining the oil, which vessel is cup-shaped, and is adapted to be mounted on a bearing as by means of the exteriorly screw-threaded nipple Z) made integrally with said vessel or receptacle o. The bore of the vessel or receptacle a is cylindrical in the forward part thereof, and leading from the interior of said vessel through the nipple b is a bore b', of lesser diameter than the bore of said vessel or receptacle a. At one point of the diameter of the vessel or receptacle a, I form an integral block c which -block has the two-fold function of forming bearings adjacent to the top thereof for the cap or closure l for the cup, and a chamber c for the locking mechanism of said cover.

lVhile the exterior conformation of the vessel or receptacle a is immaterial, I preferably make i't cylindrical, pin holes f f being provided in the bottom of said receptacle to permit the use of a screw driver or a pin wrench in applying the cup to a bearing, or in removing it therefrom.

The chamber e. in the block c, is formed by a cylindrical bore centrally thereof and of the openings between the lugs g r/, and the opening for the hinge pin It in said lugs is positioned forwardly of said bore.

Mounted in the chamber c, is a spiral spring e' surmounted by a ball j which ball not only acts as a lock bolt for holding the cap or closure (l, but also as a roller bearing for facilitating the movement of said cover irrespective of the pressure normally exerted 'which dust and dirt might enter the -vessel or receptacle, I provide the cap or closure CZ with a pendent rim CZ adapted to pass over, encircle and closely inclose the top outer edge of the vessel or receptacle a.

The hinge portion 7c of the cap or closure Cl is preferably made irregular in cross section, so that while a curved surface is provided against which the ball bears during the movement of the cover or closure, a pocket will be formed between the hinge portion 7a and the upwardly projected portion of the block'c, adjacent to the chamber e, within which the ball j will eiitei and increase the force required to initiate the turning of said cover in either direction. This irregularity in the shape of the hinge portion 7c will also serve to afford a leverage, which will tend to cause the tension of the spring i to normally close the cover or closure d and hold it in the closed position so as to form a tight joint between it and the top lip of the vessel or receptacle a. -The hinge portion 7a is preferably made substantially elliptical so as to provide a graduated curved surface which will eliminate any possibility of a blocking of the movement of the cover or closure CZ by the ball This structure also affords sufficient clearance between the hinge pin 7L and the back of the block c to permit free movement of the hinge portion 70, and at the same time permit said hinge portion to come into such close juxtaposition to the said portion when the cap is closed, as to prevent dust or dirt entering the vessel a through the hinge.

By the structure heretofore described, l provide an oil cup having a closure cap which will be automatically held in either the closed or the open position, and which when in the closed position will be held sufficiently tight to avoid such a momentary opening thereof, through vibration of the machine, as might admit dust or dirt to the vessel or receptacle a. Hence, it will be apparent that when it is desired to fill the vessel or receptacle a, and the cover or closure CZ is raised for this purpose there is no such tendency of the cover to close, as would require any especial attention of the oiler to the closure, or interfere with the filling oi the cup or cause oil to be spilled about the top of the cup in a manner to result in the fouling of the oil can nozzle while it is desired to rell the cup. It will also be observed that the spring controlled means for holding the coveil open or closed is not contained within the vessel or receptacle so that the capacity of the latter' is not affected in any way by this mechanism. This construction also will permit the use of a filtering substance within the cup if desired, to prevent any grit entering the bearing through the bore b, although the use of such substance is optional.

erase-i To avoid the necessity for the oiler or ma chinist placing his hand within the machin ery for the purpose of raising the cap or closure preparatory to filling the vessel with oil, or holding the cap so raised while the vessel is being so filled, I provide the cap or closure (Z with means adapted to be engaged by the spout of the oil can whereby the said cap or closure may be raised by said can and at the sam'e time the discharge end of the spout will be so positioned as to be in readiness for filling the vessel a when the cap or closure is so raised.k This means preferably consists of a forwardly projected lip m of substantially the same thickness as the cap d and its pendent rim d, thus imparting strength to the said lip and permitting the pendent rim to close all parts of the cup forwardly of the block c. .To prevent slippage of the nozzle of the oil can, T channel out the underside of the lip m to form the groove m which is adapted to receive the spout of the oil can. The forward top edge of the hinge lugs g g is rounded to provide the proper clearance for the movement of the cap or closure CZ.

1t will be observed that the construction and arrangement of the hinge portion 7c in combination with the arrangement of the locking means consisting of the spring z' and ball bearing j, are such as to cause the pressure exerted by the said spring to be applied to the said hinge portion 7c on such divergent radii thereof as to have the twofold function above specified. The ball ,7' under all conditions, will present a curved surface to the hinge portion 7;', thus insuring the automatic tensioning of the spring to permit the free movement of the cap.

The mode of operation of my improved oil cup insofar as has not already been described is as follows. The cup having been applied to a machine bearing, it is filled with oil and the cover closed to exclude therefrom dust, dirt scrap and other matter injurious to the bearing. The cover being so closed, the tension of the spring z' will serve to absorb any vibrations imparted to the cap or cover (Z, thus preventing such movement of said parts as might tend to admit such foreign matter to the vessel or receptacle a. When it is desired to refill the cup, the oiler or machinist merely inserts the spout of his oil can in the machine, places the extreme end or nozzle of said spout under the lip mf, and in the channel m, raising the cap or closure, at the same time thrusting his can slightly forwardly so that as the cover raises, the spout is positioned directly above the bore of the vessel or receptacle a. The upward movement of the cap or cover will be against the tension of the spring 2' and the rolling contact between tlie hinge portion 7c and the ball 7' will minimize the resistance to this upward movement. When the cap or cover has reached the position inwhich the line through the horizontal axis of the pivot pin, when the cap or closure is closed, will extend substantially vertically, the tension of the spring c' will force the ball bearing 7' upward, its engagement'with the curved surface of the hinge portion 7e forcing the entire cap or cover backward and holding it in the open position. This will leave the entire mouth of the vessel or receptacle a exposed, thus facilitating the refilling of the same. When the vessel or receptacle a has been so refilled, the cap or cover is closed by means of thc spout of the oil can, the angle between the lip m, and the pendent rim d affording suiiicient purchase for the spout ot' the oil can to overcome the resist-v ance due to the spring It will be observed that the spring z' is always under tension although this tension is increased during the opening or closing of the cap or closure. It' any oil be discharged except into the vessel or receptacle a, it will be ap parent that such oil will pass on to the inte rior of the cap or closure cl, so that no dust or dirt can accumulate upon the oil cup by reason of such spilling of oil. The channel m being presented downwardly will be more or less projected in a manner to prevent the accumulation of dust and dirt thereon, and the subsequent fouling ot' the nozzle of the oil can spout.

It will be observed that this oil cup is composed ot' but 'five parts including the hinge pin, the spring' and the bearing ball, and that the assembling operation consists solely ot' seating the spring c' and ball y' in the chamber c and mounting the cap or closure (Z between the lugs g f/ by means oit' the hinge pin i.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the minor details otl construction, nor to the configuration ot the oil cup, it being apparent that such may be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is

l. In an oil cup, the combination with a vessel or receptacle having an outlet duct, said vessel or receptacle being provided with means adjacent to said duct whereby said vessel or receptacle may be mounted on a bearing, a block having a spring chamber therein and hinge lugs on said block above and on each side of said chamber, of a cap or closure having a substantially elliptical hinge port-ion whereby it may be hinged between said lugs, with said hinge portion forwardly of said chamber, a spring in said chamber, and an anti-friction ball supported on said spring and adapted to be interposed between said hinge portion and one wall of said block, whereby the action of said ball on a long radius of said hinge portion will hold said cap or closure in the closed position and such action on a shorter radius of said portion will hold said cap or closure in the open position.

2. In an oil cup, the combination with a vessel or receptacle having an outlet duct, said vessel or receptacle being provided with means adjacent to said duct whereby said vessel or receptacle may be mounted on a bearing, a block having a spring chamber therein, and hinge lugs on said block above and on cach side of said chamber, all said parts being' composed of one integral casting, of a cap or closure having a substantially elliptical hinge portion whereby it may be hinged between said lugs with said hinge portion forwardly of said chamber, a spring in said chamber, and an anti-friction ball supported on said spring and adapted to be interposed between said hinge portion and one wall oit' said block, whereby the action of said ball on a long radius of said hinge portion will hold said cap or closure in the closed position and such action on a shorter radins of said portion will hold the cap or closure in the open position.

3. In an oil cup, the combination with a vessel or receptacle having an exteriorly screw-threaded nipple having a duct therein communicating with said vessel or receptacle whereby said vessel or receptacle may be mounted on a bearing, a block having a spring chamber therein and hinge lugs on said block above and on each side of said chamber, the bottom oi said vessel or receptacle having oppositely disposed slots adapted to be engaged by a screw driver or key for attaching said vessel or receptacle to said bearing, all said parts being coinposed oi one integral casting, oi a cap or closure having a substantially elliptical hinge lportion whereby it may be hinged between said lugs with said hinge portion forwardly of said chamber, a spring in said chamber, and an anti-friction ball supported on said spring and adapted to be interposed between said hinge portion and one wall of said block, whereby the action of said ball on a long radius of said hinge portion will hold said cap or closure in the closed position and such action on a shorter radius of said portion will hold the cap or closure in the open position.

Inwitness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 24th day of March, 1909.

VERNER J. lVAI-ILSTRGM.

Vitnesses J. D. H. BERGEN, HARRY C. GUIoN. 

